What is Fasting?
Fasting is the act of renouncing food or items of value to you and your time, to set out time to commune with God.
Fasting may be withholding food, coffee, social media – or television time and use that time to study the Word and pray.
Fasting increases your awareness of your dependency on God above all else and helps you to focus on what is important. Fasting is one way of showing God that you are desperate for Him.
When do we Fast?
There are two types of fasting in the When category: Corporate fasting and individual fasting.
Corporate fasting occurs when we stand in unity and pray and fast for the City, the Nation, for souls to be saved and lives to be touched. This type of fasting is usually at a specific date and time and will be announced by your leaders. Corporate fasting is usually broken with corporate prayer, how we seal our commitment and plea to God.
Individual fasting can occur at any date, time or place. This type of fasting is usually for your own breakthrough or someone you’ve been praying for. It is a more silent type of fast and never announced, unless you ask friends to stand with you in unity by joining in your fast for a specific reason.
Why do we Fast?
When we fast, we fast for something specific, whether it be corporately or individually. We lay down our time and seek God’s face for a specific person who may be ill, may need to receive the Love of Christ or need to come to Salvation. We may pray for the City to be influenced by God’s love and grace. We may fast for breakthrough during a specific season, a deal or finances to come through or even for that test we’re about to go write. As long as it is based upon Scripture, we can fast for anything that will lead us closer to God.
The Bible says in Matthew 6:16-18(MSG),“When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don’t make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won’t make you a saint. If you ‘go into training’ inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn’t require attention-getting devices. He won’t overlook what you are doing; he’ll reward you well.
We don’t tell the world that we are fasting – we let the result bring God glory. We still go about business as usual and do what we would do every day. The big difference is that we are much more aware of the Presence of the Holy Spirit and the time we now have available by not going out for lunch, we now utilize to study God’s Word and pray to bring ourselves closer to Him.
Types of Fasting
If you Google “Biblical Fasting”, you will find many forms of fasting, but always take care when choosing a fast. We recommend the Daniel’s Fast, as it presents its own opportunities, without the risk of a full fast, especially if it’s your first time.
Please know that, although we sacrifice food during our fasts, you are welcome to supplement your fast with sacrificing time spent on social media and television, as time consuming parts of your life.
Full Fast:
With a full fast or water-only fast, you abstain from all solids and juices. You only drink water. We don’t recommend doing this for an extended period of time, but it is a great fast for those who are not challenged by a Daniel fast.
Daniel Fast:
With a Daniel fast, you only consume fruits, vegetables and fruit juices. No meat, dairy or sodas. This is a great fast for those who are sensitive to blood sugar drops, like diabetics. It’s already a greater challenge than meets the eye, for as soon as you open your cupboard, you will want to cave. But you won’t, we know it!
Liquid Fast:
With a liquid fast, you only consume liquids in the form of fruit juices and water. Again, a great alternative for those who are not able to do a water-only fast, but want to try something similar.
Specific Fast:
If you have something you can’t go a day without, but isn’t needed to keep you alive, try fasting it for a day. Social media, sweets, coffee, that beer that waits for you at the end of a long day, those are all things you can fast. We highly suggest that you supplement your choice of food fast with sacrificing something that consumes your time or thoughts each day.
With this said, please know that it’s not about the type of fast that you do. One is not better than the other in God’s eyes. Choose one that challenges you, but doesn’t put you in danger. God sees your heart, and although we step out in obedience to His word, we ask that you do your fast within your health capabilities. The important thing to keep in mind is to starve the body of its carnal needs in order to invest time in God’s presence. That is why giving up social media is such a powerful tool.
